Clive Cussler, author of the Dirk Pitt adventure series, employed famous people from history as characters in his stories. For example, Fidel Castro, the former dictator of Cuba, was a central figure in the Pitt novel Cyclops. Abe Lincoln is the main character in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Now, what makes the use of historical characters relevant to any story? Does a writer just randomly choose to place a figure from history in an original story? Or, does the addition of a real life person from history add to the plot of the story you wish to write?

To answer this, let us consider an important aspect a writer needs for building a believable character from history. You need to do your research. In the case of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, it is apparent the author, Seth Grahame-Smith, did some research or at least read the biography of the Great Emancipator. Of course, the whole premise of the book is pure fiction. It has Lincoln fighting an army of blood-thirsty vampires. Yet, the author cleverly incorporates the real Abe Lincoln’s life events as the story progresses. When he is not using his axe to dispense with evil blood suckers, we are introduced to his rise in politics, his marriage to Mary Todd, the death of their beloved son, Willie (In this case, by means of a vampire attack).This leads to a tie-in for the start of the Civil War. The war for the “soul of the country,” as the character Lincoln puts it. So, the “character” of Lincoln is very close to the historical Lincoln. The reader can invest in the character of Lincoln and care about what happens to him, much like the real Lincoln from history.

In my novel Vengeance of the Ripper, lawman Wyatt Earp must fight Jack the Ripper in 1908 Los Angeles. I did a fair amount of  research on Wyatt, reading biographies from at least three authors as well as sources on the internet. Before the world wide web you would do your research at your local library or college research library. By researching the real Wyatt Earp, it was easier for me to form a personality for my “character” of Wyatt in my story. For example, in my research I discovered that he was a complicated man. He could be very cold and unfriendly to people in his time, yet he formed long and lasting friendships with people like Bat Masterson (another character in my novel). Very different from the Wyatt Earp of the old TV series, or some of the early movies of this famous lawman. He also stayed together with his wife, Josephine Marcus, for 47 years. This enabled me to build a convincing portrayal of my Wyatt as the hero, warts and all. In addition I was able to find out a lot about the infamous Jack the Ripper. To this day, no one knows for sure the identity of the Ripper. There were many suspects that I point out in my novel as well.

To sum it up. If you are going to use a  figure from history in your story, do your research. You will find it interesting as well as informative and you will make a believable historical character to further your original story..